Losing my number?

[Ginger Beer]

I hope I haven't missed this as a previous topic. Please excuse me otherwise.

I'm looking at VOIP possibilities for my one-man business I run from home. As I understand it, if I go with BT my VOIP calls will have an 05 number, if I go with Skype I can choose a new 'normal' number. But I want to keep the number I already have on the line. I've been speaking to a consultant who says he knows a company that can offer this but it means them taking over (is it porting?) that number and this will mean my BT line will be ceased and I'll have to have a new line put in. As this line also has my adsl on it this doesn't sound ideal.

But if I want to keep my own number for incoming calls is this my only option. (It's a nice number!)

[mattpark]

Welcome to the forum Ginger Beer!

So you wanting to use you main BT pstn line number, as your voip number if i understand correctly?

You can port your number much like you do a mobile number when you swap providers. And your right in saying, if you port your main line number, you'll have to set up a new one for your adsl to come in over. If you do end up doing this, i would recommend a sip voip service like voipfone, much better than BT internet phone or skype.

If i was you, i would take the dive and setup a new local area code voip number for your business. You can choose from hundreds of area codes, or and 0845 number from voipfone. Going to be a much easier and bertter solution.

[Ginger Beer]

Thanks for the welcome Matt.

Yes is is my PSTN number I want to keep. Which is fine, as it can be done, but I'm just not certain why I have to lose the line in the process. Surely it can't be beyond BT (or whoever is actually doing this - I don't know at time of writing who the VOIP co is) to take the number off to use for VOIP and just plonk another vanilla number onto the line. That way I could keep my number and the line stays on.

Maybe this is just too logical for them!!

Does anyone have any experience of this, or have any inside info on how these numbers are moved around?

[rainydays]

Unfortunately the UK does not offer what is called "naked dsl". That is where you can sign up to broadband from one provider and your phone service from someone else--basically keeping your broadband and phone service separate.

the other posters are correct. if you port your number from BT to someone else, you will lose your adsl connection. the ONLY way to get around that is to port the phone number and get your adsl provider to give you a new number which essentually means you have to sign up again.

not good but then again the UK lags the rest of europe in having naked dsl available.

good luck

[mattpark]

BT dont offer a line only package too, or a pure line in with no calling package. They make you sign up to at least "option 1". All the DSL providers have been getting upset about this as it adds extra cost to using an ADSL connection over say a cable one.

I belive ofcom are looking in to this.

[rainydays]

ofcom hasnt looked at this at all. they have been focussed on local loop unbundling and making it easier for punters to move broadband suppliers.

in fact they have stated on numerous occasions that uk customers have choice with unbundling and naked dsl is not needed--although regulators in other countries like norway, sweden, denmark, austria, holland, france, US, Canada etc--dont seem to agree--they have all mandated naked dsl

it's the only thing that gives customers real choice!!

[mattpark]

I remember seeing a pdf document on the subject from ofcom, i think i still have it. But either which way, something needs to be changed as you say. Why are we lagging behind?

[mattpark]

You seem very knowledgeable in this area, do you work in the industry?